What are the dog laws in California? Does California have dog laws? If you live in this state, you might be wondering what the law says about issues like rabies vaccination, dog bites, dog cruelty, and dog chains.
Read on for more information about dog laws in California.
What Dog Vaccines Are Required by Law in California?
All dogs aged four months or over in California must receive a rabies vaccination. Owners should keep dogs under four months old at home or under close leash supervision. When dogs over four months old enter California, they’ll need a current rabies vaccination certificate.
Regardless of the age of the dog at their first rabies vaccination, they’ll need a second rabies vaccine a year later. And then, the three-year booster schedule should be followed. Even friendly dogs may bite on occasion under stressful circumstances, so it’s best to practice safety first and always keep your dog up to date on their recommended vaccines.
Any licensed veterinarian or their assistant, under supervision, may vaccinate a dog or cat.
What Are the Dog Bite Laws in California?
The owner of the dog is liable when it comes to a dog biting somebody in public or private – including at the home of the owner. This is regardless of any previous viciousness of the animal.
When a dog has bitten humans on two or more occasions, any person can bring an action against the dog’s owner. And, when an owner trains a dog to fight, attack, or kill a human, and they bite somebody, the state may remove the dog from the owner or euthanize them.
However, if a dog bites in self-defense, from a provoking, harassing, or annoying act, the dog owner may not be held liable. Likewise, this may also be the case if the person the dog bit wasn’t lawfully in a private setting. For instance, if they were trespassing.
If a dog has previously bitten somebody, the owner needs to take reasonable care to prevent a repeat incident.
What Are California Dog Abandonment Laws?
What is considered animal abandonment in California?
The state of California mainly focuses animal abandonment laws around abandoning an animal at a place of business, such as a veterinarian. In these cases, if an owner doesn’t pick up their animal within 14 days of the agreed-upon pickup date, the state considered the animal abandoned.
What is the punishment for animal abandonment in California?
Everybody who wilfully abandons any animal is guilty of a misdemeanor. However, this doesn’t apply to the release and rehabilitation of native California wildlife per statue or regulations of the California Department of Fish and Game.
Who pays for an abandoned dog’s vet care in California?
The full cost of caring for and treating any animal abandoned seized shall constitute a lien on the animal. The state will not return the animal to the owner until they pay the charges.
What Are California Dog Cruelty Laws?
What is considered dog cruelty in California?
California views a wide range of defined actions as animal cruelty. For example, it is considered animal cruelty to maliciously and intentionally maim, mutilate, torture, or wound a dog, unless in the case of self-defense or an otherwise justifiable action. The state also considers it animal cruelty to deprive a dog of things that one could reasonably assume they need – food, water, shelter, exercise, vet care.
What is the punishment for dog cruelty in California?
We most commonly associate animal cruelty in California with a misdemeanor charge. However, it can be a felony charge – the prosecutor can either file the case as a misdemeanor or a felony at their discretion, based on the circumstances.
What is the punishment for dogfighting in California?
As in the other 49 states, dogfighting is a felony in California. This doesn’t apply only to those directly fighting their animals. It’s also illegal to permit dogfighting on your premises, or otherwise aid and abet dogfighting. It’s also illegal to knowingly attend a dogfight. Owning, possessing, keeping, or training a dog with the intention to use them in dogfighting is a felony.
What Are California Dog Chain Laws?
Tethering or chaining a dog is legal in California. However, the owner should affix the chain or tether in such a way that the dog can’t become entangled or injured. Furthermore, it shouldn’t hinder the dog’s ability to access adequate shelter, food, or water. Somebody found to be violating this law is guilty of a misdemeanor.
However, these laws do not apply to animals in transit or in a vehicle. Or in the immediate control of a person.
How Does California Dog Law Rank Against Other States?
The Animal Legal Defense Fund ranks California #9 out of all 50 US States for animal protection laws. This makes California a ‘top-tier’ state by their standards. Why does California rank this way? There are plenty of good things in this state’s animal protection laws.
For instance, animals may be included in protection orders, and veterinarians must report suspected animal cruelty, while there’s a mandatory post-conviction possession ban too. However, there are things the state can improve on. For example, the standards for minimum acceptable care aren’t too well-defined.
